A judge in Atlanta has ruled against Bobbi Kristina Brown's partner, Nick Gordon, in a wrongful death lawsuit filed by her estate.
Fulton County Superior Court Judge T Jackson Bedford signed an order saying Mr Gordon repeatedly failed to meet court deadlines and, therefore, the conservator of her estate wins by default.
The judge's order says a jury trial will be set to determine how much Mr Gordon will be required to pay in damages.
Ms Brown, the daughter of singers Whitney Houston and Bobby Brown, was found face-down and unresponsive in a bath in her Atlanta home on January 31 2015. She died in hospice care on July 26 2015.
A medical examiner's report released in March said a post-mortem examination showed that Ms Brown had morphine, cocaine, alcohol and prescription drugs in her body.
The report said the medical examiner's office could not decide whether her death was a suicide, a homicide or accidental, so it classified it as "undetermined".
No lawyer was listed for Mr Gordon in online court records. Josey Crews, a spokesman for lawyers Joe Habachy and Jose Baez, said they continue to represent him for any criminal allegations but had nothing to do with the civil case.
No criminal charges have been filed against Mr Gordon. Fulton County District Attorney Paul Howard is investigating the case.
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